


Butterflies

by sepsner



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Fluff without Plot, M/M, Mutual Pining, ambiguous timeline, and a touch of keith having a short-term crush on shiro, hint of shallura, keith has a lot of feelings, look. it's cute as hell, space ball
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-27
Updated: 2017-09-27
Packaged: 2019-01-06 05:28:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,368
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12204795
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sepsner/pseuds/sepsner
Summary: After another hard day's work saving the universe, a small banquet is held in Voltron's honour. Which was annoying, despite Keith being such a social butterfly.





	Butterflies

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Wallflower](https://archiveofourown.org/works/12197733) by [Cyan (vehicroids)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/vehicroids/pseuds/Cyan). 



> Go read Cyan's 'Wallflower' for the full Klance experience >:U !!

Keith would rather he save the galaxy, and no one paid him much attention afterwards, and that was that. Keith couldn’t always get what he wanted. This party isn’t what he wanted. Their guests, the inhabitants of a planet they just saved, weren’t due to arrive yet, and hanging around the empty parked castle ship just amplified how awkward Keith was feeling about this whole thing.  
  
Allura hadn’t told them anything about what to do other than to ‘dress smart’. Maybe being a princess meant Allura assumed the paladins would know ball etiquette. Keith wasn’t pleased. Surely, their paladin outfits should have been enough? He tugged on the bowtie that he had put on slightly too tight. He slid his feet across the polished floor, realising just how worn the soles of his shoes were. Just as he was starting to get carried away, something grabbed him.  
  
Fighting back the urge to attack whatever just wrapped an arm around his shoulders, Keith twisted his torso - oh, it was only Lance.  
  
“Hey, c’mon, Keith,” Lance jeered. He was so close, and Keith could feel himself shutting down. It was no secret that he liked guys, but it was less known that he liked _this_ guy in particular. Lance’s cheerful disposition was something that Keith deeply admired. Plus, it made his heart race. “Cheer up. It’ll be good for you to have fun.”  
  
Rather than getting into their usual back-and-forth bickering, Keith shoved him away. Crush or no crush, Keith preferred keeping everyone at arm’s length. Even if they _were_ cute Cuban boys who had the cheesiest pickup lines and the lamest jokes and the softest smiles that made Keith melt--  
  
Keith left. He had to, before he said anything stupid. Thankfully, guests were arriving - that was something he could distract himself with. Talking to strangers, rather than the guy he actually _wanted_ to talk to. It wasn’t long until Coran and Pidge got the sound system working, and people were talking and dancing. Keith cast his gaze over the floor briefly. Shiro and Allura were being held up - of course they were, they were the leader and the princess. But where was Lance? Keith barely found Hunk and Pidge before people approached him.  
  
Despite never being a people person, Keith transformed into a social butterfly at parties. He couldn’t help but revel in the attention. What was it like being the red paladin? Oh, pretty intense, but no different from being one of the other paladins, we’re all important. How did he get his hair so soft? Brushing it one hundred times a day. Why did he only have _two_ legs? Well, that was enough questions for the night.  
  
Keith excused himself. It wasn’t that he was bothered by being bombarded with questions, but he had slowly realised he hadn’t seen Lance all evening. Not even flirting with some girl. Lance flirting… the thought left a bitter taste in his mouth, but Keith would have preferred seeing him flirt than not seeing him at all.  
  
Lance, once Keith had found him, was alone. Hunk and Pidge were nearby, sure, but they were deep in conversation with a local. Lance seemed kind of zoned out. Watching the world go by. Keith came behind him, tempted to wrap an arm around his shoulder as Lance had done earlier, but the butterflies in his stomach kept him at a distance. Instead, he leant against the wall, his arms crossed.  
  
“Never took you for a wallflower, Lance.”  
  
Lance’s surprise as he turned make Keith smile. Lance seemed to have that effect on him. The other ball participants were distracted, basically leaving Lance and Keith alone, in their own bubble of solitude. Thinking of it that way, Keith found himself getting more nervous, his heart pounding against his chest.  
  
Lance flashed a smile back at him, and Keith felt it go straight to his heart. Lance leaned next to Keith, a touch of cockiness in his voice. “And you’re the life of the party. Weird, right?”  
  
“Yeah.” Keith tapped his toes to the music playing overhead, though it wasn’t that catchy. They were at a ball, so maybe… maybe Lance would want to dance with him? Keith wanted to ignore the idea. It soon became all he could think about. Keith looked over at Pidge and Hunk again, desperate for some kind of intrusion. “But I’d rather be with you guys.”  
  
Lance let out a snort. “Looks like it’s just you and me. Those guys probably don’t know I’m still here.” He gestured to the other two. With them both distracted, Keith and Lance really _were_ alone. _Just you and me_. Keith looked away from Hunk and Pidge, away from Lance, straight to the floor. He really shouldn’t try to do this, especially not with Lance - Keith didn’t even know if Lance liked boys. It would have been better to head back into the crowd. To not be alone. Alone with Lance.  
  
But before Keith had the chance to take off, Allura came into view, making herself a spectacle. Well, she _was_ a princess. Beside her was Shiro, who offered his hand to her, as if he were a prince. Usually, this is where Keith’s mouth would twitch, his brows would furrow, and he would leave the ball, wanting to be anywhere where he could ignore that he was being ignored by Shiro.  
  
Tonight, Keith was happy to stay with Lance.  
  
His eyes trailed off of Shiro and back to Lance. He was in a suit, head tilted upwards, giving a full view of his neck. Keith lingered on his jawline, leading up to Lance’s lips. Keith swallowed, and quickly glanced to Lance’s eyes, hoping he hadn’t been caught staring. No, Lance hadn’t noticed. But _boy_ , Keith was enchanted by his lidded eyes, pins of stars caught and kept safe in Lance.  
  
It was now or never. This was Keith’s moment. And god damn, he wanted to dance with Lance. He licked his lips and cleared his throat, hoping the words would come out easier. “D-” oh, god, he sounded awful, and he hadn’t even said an entire word. “Do you want to dance? Or something?”  
  
If Lance turned around, Keith didn’t see. His eyes had squeezed shut, and his hands had balled into fists. He was braced for impact. _Hell_ , he could feel his face heating up. Keith bit his lip and held his breath. He just needed to hear Lance say no, he wasn’t into dudes, he wasn’t into Keith, he didn’t want to dance, he was about to go to bed. Anything that would let Keith know that Lance wasn’t into him, so Keith could stop feeling like this.  
  
Lance hadn’t replied, so Keith figured he had just left. Keith opened his eyes again, just in time to catch Lance extending his hand. Just in time to see Lance’s smile spread across his face like an explosion of fireworks.  
  
“You coming?”  
  
Keith wanted to grab Lance’s hand and fall into him. But his hand lingered midway. Maybe this dance didn’t mean anything. They were teammates, at a dance dedicated to them. Of course they would dance. It might not mean a damn thing to Lance. But… his chance was here, and Lance hadn’t left yet. Even if it meant nothing, it would still be nice to just be held for a moment, and pretend. Keith grabbed the other paladin’s hand, and the warmth that Keith had always imagined was inside of Lance spread through his body. Thank god he wasn’t in his gloved paladin suit.  
  
They got closer to Allura and Shiro, further into the crowd, where more and more people could see them. Where everyone would be watching them dance. Keith’s face stayed hot, burning with the eyes of everyone at the dance. He couldn’t even look at Lance as their fingers laced together and they started dancing. Keith didn’t even know how to dance. He placed a hand on Lance’s shoulder and leaned back into Lance’s hand, sitting on the small of his back. He had seen somewhere that they were meant to make a ‘V’ with their torsos, or something, but really, Keith just wanted some space to breathe. His heart thudded against his chest, threatening to burst out. This was happening.  
  
Keith’s hand slid from Lance’s shoulder to wrap around his arms, pulling the two of them even closer. Keith’s breath hitched - he had wanted to be this close to Lance for so long. They were surrounded by people, but all Keith could think about was Lance. The red paladin finally looked back at Lance’s face, and wasn’t able to tear his eyes away. Was Lance blushing? Lance turned his attention to Keith, who darted his eyes away, hoping not to be caught staring. Still… Keith slowly brought them back, looking at Lance once more, their eyes locking.  
  
Lance stepped, and stepped again, then stopped. He let go of Keith’s hand, still staring into his eyes - Lance had an expression on his face Keith wasn’t sure he had seen before. When Lance’s now-free hand touched Keith’s cheek, he gasped for breath, his eyes shutting once more. He hadn’t realised just how desperate he had been for Lance to touch him, but now that Lance’s soft hand was pressed against his face, Keith leaned into it, fighting the urge to nuzzle up against it. His heart was beating louder than ever, and his stomach had exploded into butterflies, but he felt calm. Safe, in Lance’s touch.  
  
Keith felt Lance lean in closer, and he tilted his head up slightly for easier access to his lips. But Lance hesitated. They were already so close, and Keith didn’t want to back down - after opening an eye to be sure that Lance was still looking at him, Keith wrapped his other arm around Lance’s shoulders and pulled him in for a kiss.  
  
Keith had kissed Lance before, so many times, at least... in his imagination. But fiction couldn’t hold up to reality. Lance was so warm against him, and his lips were so soft, and everything melted away. Nothing else mattered. Lance’s fingers ran through Keith’s hair, sending sparks down Keith’s spine, and he arched his back, leaning further into Lance. One of his hands found itself on Lance’s cheek, stroking it with his thumb, taking note of just how soft Lance’s skin felt against his own.  
  
But the kiss didn’t last forever, and as Lance pulled away, everything rushed back to Keith at once. This was no time for kissing. Lance didn’t even like him, he didn’t like _guys_ , Keith was certain. Whatever this was, whatever just overcame them both - it wasn’t long-term, certainly. Definitely not on Lance’s part. And as Lance smiled at him, doped up on the temporary romance, Keith wriggled from his grasp. He was losing air.  
  
“I should go.”  
  
Keith pushed himself away and walked briskly off, shortly breaking into a run. He just had to get _out_ of there. Keith burst out of the gathering room and headed off down the hall, running aimlessly. If he were on Earth, he would have gone, just ran, and discover where the fleeting feeling could take him. But he was trapped here, in the castle. Trapped with his doubts and responsibilities.  
  
Keith stopped running when his lungs started to burn. He glanced over his shoulder - Lance hadn’t followed him. He thought as much. Keith leaned against the nearby windowsill, catching his breath. There was no way anything could come out of a kiss. Not here. Not now. After a moment, Keith opened the window, welcoming the cool night air that tumbled into the castle. He leaned his head out, torso caught on the windowsill. Keith looked at the ground beneath them, a rolling grassy field. Would it catch his fall if he tumbled out? He shifted his position, no longer precariously leaning out, but leaning against his crossed arms, head still out of the window.  
  
Feelings like this would just get in the way…  
  
“What was that about?” Keith closed his eyes as Lance’s voice broke the night silence. How long had he been missing from the dance? Lance came closer to him and mirrored his pose on the other end of the windowsill.  
  
“You didn’t need to run away like that.”  
  
Lance sounded… annoyed, cheated. But there was some concern in his voice. Keith swallowed and hung his head. If Keith were anyone else, maybe things would be easier for Lance. Things would be easier for everyone.  
  
Keith ran a hand through his hair, urging words to come out. He had to say _something_. “I just feel so stupid.” He could feel his eyes stinging. “I don’t even know if you wanted to--”  
  
Despite Keith’s insistent doubts, when Lance wrapped his arm around Keith’s shoulders, he happily leaned into the embrace. Keith sighed, feeling a tight knot in his abdomen loosen slightly. Lance had come for him. Even if it took him a while to find him. Maybe someone _did_ want Keith for Keith.  
  
“This is a stupid idea,” Keith mumbled, fully aware that he didn’t really care at the moment. Still, it gave Lance a chance to leave, for them both to get out before it got too serious.  
  
“You’re not moving away.” And Lance hadn’t moved, either.  
  
Lance’s arm moved from Keith’s shoulders to his waist. The touch was comforting, leaving spots of warmth on Keith’s back. He felt his eyes water, but this time, it wasn’t from frustration or fear of rejection. It was as if Lance had taken a load off of Keith’s back. It was a relief.  
  
Keith had thought about Lance telling him how much he liked him before. But as Lance leaned in and almost whispered the words, Keith bit his lip, giving in to a tear sailing down his cheek.  
  
“I really like you, Keith.”  
  
Keith let out a shaky sigh. “Yeah.” His lips cracked into a smile, channelling the warmth from Lance’s hand on his back, pooling from him. “I like you, too.”  
  
It didn’t matter what they had to be tomorrow, or the next day. Tonight, they were this, and Keith wouldn’t trade Lance for the galaxy.


End file.
